Nigoru Hitomi de Nani wo Negau ch 53

TN : Chapter 3 of the manga came out yesterday in japan, it covered ch 11 – early part of ch 13 of the WN

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53. Chapter 53

The castle gate wasn’t closed and the construction work continued.

Under the motto “1mm deeper, 1mm higher” for the empty moat and the embankment, people were working on the defense line. Regardless of whether they were soldiers or militias. Even girls and children who couldn’t tolerate heavy labor would throw the stone and soil away.

Many platoons were killing approaching monsters at the outer edge, and the soldiers were dispersing as it was necessary to kill as many monsters as possible.

A monster with an edible part was dragged into the castle and used as emergency food. Walm, who had been insensitively killing monsters until now, had finally learned that other than the edible part, some other parts could be used as a material for armor.

In addition to the guards, the soldiers who had successfully escaped here were also guarding the gate. At the moment, there were only three distinctions in this place: Fighters, workers, and non-workers. Age or gender didn’t matter.

All the Myard people who arrived at Dandurg Castle were lightly covered in dirt, and it looked like their fatigue had reached its peak. 

The family passing in front of Walm had the father carrying luggage and the mother carrying a baby.

As their eyes crossed, the family bowed to Walm, albeit somewhat awkwardly.

Walm then pointed to a corner of the castle.

“Get some food there.”

After seeing the smoke from the cooking, the family thanked him again and their faces looked relieved. On the other hand, Walm’s face became bleak. To be honest, he wanted to tell them to ignore the shady castle and admonished them to leave immediately.

He understood that it wasn’t a good thing for a soldier to give such a command. There was no solid evidence that it would be the best choice after all. No one could say for sure that the soldier could block the outbreak on all three main roads in Myard.

When Walm shifted his gaze, a group of 100 people was visible. In a situation like this, while there were many sparse refugees, a big group was rare.

After all, a group without good resistance would be equivalent to a feast for the monsters.

He looked carefully at the group and noticed that, the one leading the group was fully armed, and many villagers following behind were holding weapons or farm tools.

Judging by the blood on the weapons, it could be said that they must have driven off a considerable number of monsters along the way.

The curious Walm narrowed his eyes when he saw someone he had seen before.

“Knight-dono, where are you going?”

The soldier guarding the gate noticed that Walm’s expression had changed.

“There’s something I’m curious about. I’ll leave for a while.”

When the group noticed a person leaving the gate and approaching them, the tension increased.

About four or five steps away from the group, Walm realized it wasn’t just his own misunderstanding.

“Stop.”

In the group, there were adventurers and the Myard soldiers who had once threatened the supply route and killed Highserk soldiers.

“Why did you come here?”

The face of the blue-haired adventurer at the front was distorted as if he had bitten a bitter worm. He, too, seemed to have recognized Walm.

“I know I’m saying something convenient but… I want you to help us.”

The man escaped from the monsters to Dandurg Castle, so it was the answer Walm had expected. 

Walm deliberately tapped the surface of the longsword on his waist with his fingers.

“Where is that pride of Myard? I’m just worried about the possibility of a backstabber, you know? Now, that you’re in a bad position, you dare to ask for asylum from us?”

Walm wouldn’t blame the man if he were just a normal Myard soldier or a prisoner of war. The problem was, that not only the man, but also the other adventurers and the soldiers in front of him had a strong sense of patriotism and had attacked the Highserk soldiers from behind before.

Walm didn’t deny those who were motivated by their love of their hometown and strong patriotism. He could understand them. But that was also the reason why he couldn’t be so easily convinced when these people suddenly did the opposite just because they had lost their place to the monsters.

“At that time, we still had a chance. Now, the situation is different. Myard… has lost completely.”

“What a very shallow patriotism.”

There, Walm remembered the surroundings of the countries. Surrounded by the unstable Demon Territories, it was an area where the rulers changed frequently.

Especially in the Highserk Empire, which followed a policy of assimilation, it often happened that only the head was exchanged and the territory was incorporated into the empire. Occasional jumps and uprisings could be suppressed with overwhelming force.

As of now, the government in exile had been established on the peninsula bordered by Lake Celta. But, perhaps many still didn’t know about it.

…If the homeland is on the brink of being destroyed, will people change their attitude faster?

“…You think all will be fine just because you bow your head?”

Those close to Walm didn’t die in battle, but the soldiers with whom he had exchanged a few words, even if only a few times, nevertheless fell in battle.

“What should I do?”

Hearing that, Walm smiled.

“Can you give me your neck?”

Walm felt the group’s murderous intent swell. He just returned it with a straight face and looked from one end to the other.

“You want to fight again? I’m a knight who guards the gate. If you can’t give it, go somewhere else. Besides, I can’t trust the villagers who pretend to prostrate, but actually support the soldiers and adventurers who like to attack from behind.”

“We no longer have our homeland to rely on, we’re being chased by monsters, and the castle is full of armed Highserk soldiers. We’re not stupid.”

An adventurer with a bow complained to Walm about their plight, but Walm didn’t shake.

“Is it useless except for the neck?”

A man with a large shield asked Walm if there was an alternative.

“I have to draw the line.”

Walm didn’t answer clearly.

“And that’s by giving Al’s neck…? That’s not going to happen.”

The woman who was holding the bow came out from the side.

“Shut up girl, I’m talking to him.”

Said Walm in a stern tone.

“Amy, stop.”

An adventurer named Al furrowed his eyebrows and was silent for a few seconds, but then gave up and spat out the answer.

“…Okay. I’ll give my neck.”

“Al, don’t say stupid things.”

The woman grabbed the man by the shoulder, but the blue-haired adventurer shook her off.

“It’s the only choice.”

“Is my neck, not good? Al and Amy are very important to the villages. I can’t let them die.”

This was said by the man with the Great Shield, who had previously fought with Squad Commander Duwei.

“Stop with those jokes. Fleck, you don’t have to…!!”

“He wants mine. You don’t have to die.”

Leaving Walm in dismay, the three began to argue.

“Huff, the other guys? Are you going to stay on the sidelines? I won’t limit the candidate. Anyone’s neck is fine.”

Asked Walm lazily. In response, the people in the group just looked at his face and didn’t say anything.

“Pathetic. Even all the dead Myard soldiers were brave, better than you all.”

Walm provoked, but they averted their eyes from him and didn’t answer.

In a way, Walm felt reassured and satisfied by their human response. On the other hand, the drama of the three humans continued.

It’s better to watch a soap opera than this…

And now, the talk had already developed into a sour dispute.

In truth, Walm wasn’t really willing to take the man’s neck, although he would have cut it without hesitation if ordered to do so by a Company or Battalion Commander.

However, in such an emergency situation, Walm didn’t want to kill an experienced adventurer and reduce the overall strength available to deal with the monster. And if he snapped the man’s neck, it would only fuel people’s resentment, and he could be seriously stabbed in the back during the fight.

That said, Walm couldn’t say that he didn’t want anything.

“You guys, shut up. Then, line up there… tch, rest assured. I won’t take your neck.”

The three people seemed reluctant to line up next to each other.

“Good. Instead, I’ll distribute the pain to all of you.”

“What do you mean?”

Al asked suspiciously about Walm’s suggestion.

“I’ll hit you until I’m satisfied. All of you. Well, don’t worry, I won’t hit till you die.”

Walm made a small leap and struck Al’s face with his fist. The carving was deep, the big nose wrinkled, and blood spurted out.

“Stand.”

The blue-haired adventurer stood up without a word. Walm grabbed the adventurer by the hair, kicked the face with his knees, and twisted the nose further.

“Yup, your face looks better now.”

The man with the great shield took a step forward himself. 

What a great spirit you have.

Walm hit the man on the cheek with all his strength. Even after a few blows to the face, the man didn’t fall down. The face swelled, but Walm kept hitting it. When the chin finally wobbled a little, the man slumped to the ground.

The woman with the bow was calm and stood upright. Suddenly Walm pressed his fist into her flank, not her face.

The woman, whose liver was stricken with pain, distorted her face, and her body writhed.

Enduring the hard blow, the woman was struck again and again. At the third blow, gastric juices leaked from her mouth and wetted the ground.

Silently, the three got back up. After three rounds, the adventurers’ faces swelled as if they had been stung by countless bees.

“The rest of you, line up. I’m only going to hit you three times.”

The remaining Myard soldiers gritted their teeth and lined up in a row. 

By the end, the ground was dyed with blood, vomit, and gastric juice.

“There is no second chance. If you betray even just one more time, I’ll cut the tendons of your limbs and throw them one by one from the wall passage to the ground. Regardless of young or old, man or woman, everyone.”

After giving time to chew the words, Walm concluded.

“All right, enough with the reunion party. Welcome to Dandurg Castle.”

Walm laughed at the villagers and shook off the blood on his fist, but sadly, he received neither a warm round of applause nor a cheerful response.

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TN: I wonder if the three know the other two of their party members were among the ones who caused this situation…

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